Your story remind me very much of a song in the musical chess where the Russian character tells the audience how while madness may take control of a nations leaders, the hearth of a nation is its people regardless if they stay within the borders.

And you ask me why I love her

Through wars, death and despair

She is the constant, we who don't care

And you wonder will I leave her, but how?

I cross over borders but I'm still there now